Nets Back in Carmelo Anthony Sweepstakes

Less than a month ago, New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov swooped in from Russia, and dramatically called off all negotiations for his team to land Carmelo Anthony. He said the Nets were no longer interested; the chase had simply become too big a headache.

It turns out Prokhorov wasn’t being entirely truthful, according to the latest reports.

Multiple media outlets have sources claiming that New Jersey is still very much in the business of acquiring ‘Melo, and with the trade dealing looming ever larger, the pressure is getting cranked up.

With a week to go before the trade deadline, the Nets and Nuggets are talking Carmelo Anthony again. But the Nets have other potential deals in the works.

They have been unhappy with Devin Harris’ level of play and commitment to the team lately and are trying to move him, with Portland a possible destination. The Nets and Blazers have exchanged trade proposals and still are discussing a deal. Harris and veteran point guard Andre Miller are the main pieces, but more players are involved, multiple NBA sources said. It’s doubtful the Nets will trade Harris, who turns 28 in two weeks, straight up for Miller, who turns 35 next month.

For what it’s worth, the conventional wisdom remains that New York is still the leading candidate to acquire Carmelo Anthony from Denver.

The NBA’s trade deadline is exactly one week away. You can expect this story to change multiple times over that time period. Brace yourselves.